Buckle



H. P. TROENIPLY ET AL BUCKLE July 9, 1935.

Filed Dec. '7, 1954 Mr'M gripping portion that subtends in close proximity on the person.

1 downwardly.

Patented July 9, 1935 UNITED, STATES OFFICE Y Harry P. Troendly and Paul WhitdChicago, Ill., assignors to Parva "Products Company, Chicago, Ill a corporation of Delaware assessmentsa, 1934:, Serial N 756,534

This invention relates-to a buckle. and has -a special reference to a buckle adapted to be adlike, for the support of garments or other More particularly, this invention relates Slide buckle formed of a single piece of sheetmetal constituting a frame which comprises side bars and three spaced cross bars connecting the side :bars, the central cross bar being resiliently se cured to the side bars and being providedwith a a majorportion-of the top bar to form .a slot through which a strap, band or the like is thread- 1 ed and gripped and to form an open slot'adjacent to the lower bar for receiving the freeend of :the strap. It is preferable to provide the lower cross bar with an outwardly extending buttonloop having a passage leading to the open slot adjacent the lower bar for receiving a button of a garment or the like to be supported, the passage being of sufiicient width to permit the shank of the button to pass therethrough into the button loop. 4

It is contemplated by the present invention to adopt this construction for use with' various typesof objects, particularly on the'per'son. 'l-Iowever,-'

in the drawing and in the'followingdescription, the buckle will be shown and described in connec-' tion with a shoulder strap of an overall, the strap- L being threaded through the upper slot and passing downwardly through the lower slot with the freeend pointing downwardly. It is readily apparent, of course, that various other uses couldbe men- 'tioned in connection with buckles and fasteners .generally of the typeadapted to beadjustably associated withstraps and that this'invention, therefore, is not to be limited to. the specific use herein described and illustrated. a I

providean ease in the adjustment of the strap through the buckle when in use on'the wearer and to provide that the free end of-the strap points In the present invention,- the'arrangement and nature of the two slots and the flexibility of the gripping means cooperate to accomplish the above desired results.

stamped buckles of the same type or for use on the same sized strap. justably associated with strapa'bands and the objects" tral resiliently .connected bar provides a relativelyhigh flexibility of the strap engaging and gripping. portion, aportion of the flexible bar acting in a manner to back up the strap which encloses one side of the button loop. The cloth may be pushed back and the flexible bar may yield, and because of the particularly desirable spring properties, aver-y easy manual engagement and disen. gagement of the button is had. This further provides a condition such that the button may never. become displaced by wear in any use or condition thereof. r

The resiliently connected central bar permits easy threading. and a very positivegrip on the strap by reason of the long effective length of the supportingarms which are preferably tortuous in their length and yield mainly in torsion, they further being of narrowwidth for yielding very readily..xThese arms are preferably crowned or of arcuate cross section whereby the resistance to torsion yielding: is not increased but strength is added greatly in all other directions of fiexureg The central resilient cross bar isvery flexible in 1 the direction-toward and away from the upper cooperating cross bar so that it may. be flexed open. readily for threading or closed just as readily for locking upon the exertion upon a relative pull between the strap and the frame. However, itis very rigid in the other direction or at the right angles toLthe direction of movement or flexing of the central bar,.because in'this direction it must assumeya. largeportion of the pull on the strap whenthe strap is stretched taut or jerked as is very often the case.

The. present buckle is preferably formed of a comparatively thin spring material into which hasbeen-imparted high physical properties by thermal heat treatment after all forming operations involved have been completed. While we will herein treat of a very desired material in relation to: its thickness as compared to its width of strap opening and its thermal heat treatment, we'will reservev thelright to. file a separate application thereon in which will be claimed the physical, properties of the buckle in the present application.1- Weareinterested primarily in the structural'characteristicsioi the buckle in the present application aside from the physical properties and dimensions of the buckle itself.

One of the objects of this invention is to provide a buckle of the character indicated above in which it is comparatively easy to thread a strap, in which it is easy to adjust the strap after it is threaded therein and while on a wearer, in which a loose end of the strap points downwardly when in use on the wearer and which is of a minimum weight and size to be less expensive in plating, packing, freight, storage and from the standpoint of material used in the making of the buckle.

Another object of this invention is to provide a complete understanding of the characteristic fea-' tures of this invention, reference may now be had to the following description whenread together. with the accompanying drawing, in whichlatterz.

Figure 1 is a front elevational view of a buckle incorporating the features of this invention;

Fig. 2 is a front elevational'view of the buckle of Fig. 1 showing it in position on fragmentary portions of a strap and an overall bib Fig. 3 is an enlarged central vertical sectional view taken on the line 33 ofFig'. 1;

Fig. 4 is an enlarged substantially central ver-.

tical sectional view taken on the line 4'4 of Fig. 2

Fig. 5 is an enlarged vertical sectional View taken on the line 55 of Fig. 1; 1

Fig. 6 is a front elevational view of a modified form of buckle incorporating the features of this invention;

Fig. '7 is an enlarged vertical central sectional view taken on the line 1--1 of Fig. 6;

Fig. 8 is an enlarged vertical sectional view taken on the line 88 of Fig. 6;

Fig. 9 is a front elevational view'of another modified form of buckle embodying the features of this invention;

Fig. 10 is an enlarged central vertical sectional view taken on the line Ill-I 0 of Fig. 9;

Fig. 11 is a front elevational view of a. still further modified form of buckle embodying the features of this invention, the buckle being shown in an incomplete state of manufacture or during a forming operation thereof;

'Fig. 12 is a sectional view taken on the I2-l2 of Fig. 11;

Fig. 13 is a view similar to 'Fig. 11 showing a changed position of the gripping bar, the buckle being shown in the completed state; and

Fig. 14 is a vertical sectional view'taken on the line l4i4 of Fig. 13.

Referring now to the drawing and more particularly to Figs. 1 to 5, inclusive thereohthe buckle of this invention comprises a frame preferably crowned along the outer confines and having side bars l5 and I6 and three spaced cross bars I1, is and i9 connecting the side bars [5 and i6. The buckle is formed ofa single piece of sheet metal with the central cross bar I8 line being resiliently connected to the side bars and a major portion of the length of the top cross bar I! to form an upper slot through which a strap 20 may be threaded and gripped. The tongue 20 and the cross bar I! preferably overlap each other for at least a portion of their subtending areas as by means of extruding a portion of the material of the cross bar I! in any desirable manner, such as is shown at 2| in Figs. 1 and 5. Of course, it is to be understood that an overlapping relation may be had by extruding a portion of the material of the tongue 20 in the same manner as that of the extruded portions of the bar ll.

This overlapping relation limits the movement of the resiliently secured cross bar l8 in one direction, that is, toward the cross bar 11.

The tongue 29 is preferably provided with arms 22 and 23 oppositely extending from the tongue to resilientlysecure the central cross bar 53 to the side bars and the points at which the arms are attached to the side bars are preferably spaced from the upper cross bar I! a distance slightly greater than the thickness of the strap. Further, the arms are preferably tortuous in the direction of their length, narrow in width and arcuate or crowned in cross section so that thetongue 20 may be very flexible in its direction to and from the upper cross bar I! to open for threading and to close for locking or gripping and still be very rigid in the direction of the plane of the frame, because in this latter direction it must assume a large portion of the.

load upon the strap and the exertion of a rela tive pull or jerk between the strap and the frame. It is, of course, to be understood that a satisfactory buckle may be had in the use of the arms and tongue in a flat condition although added strength is given against the load with substantially the same flexibility in a crowned condition of the arms and tongue.

In providing a tortuous length to the arms, an initial portion, as above noted; spaced a distance slightly greater than the thickness of the strap, extends inwardly in a direction toward the tongue to substantially the ends of the tongue portions where it may bend in a direction downwardly and. then inwardly again to form an open slot 24 with the lower cross bar l9. The lower open slot 24, in turn, is preferably substantially the width of an average strap (approximately to prevent the free end of the strap from creeping upwardly and out of the slot during normal use of the buckle on the wearer.

Further, it is desirable in order to assure a very flexible gripping portion that the central bar opposite to the lower bar be provided with a recess opening into the lower slot to form a continuation of the arm 22 extending in opposite directions and outwardly to be connected preferably with the outer extremities of the gripping portion 20 of the central bar, the arms.

being narrow in width and of substantially the samecross section as the other portions of the arms. A portion of the recess in the central cross bar opening into the lower open slot 24 may also cooperate with a passage communicating between the open slot 24 and a button loopv 25 extending outwardly in the lower bar IS, the passage being of sufficient width to permit the shank 25 0f a button to pass therethrough into the loop. The width of-the recess of the central bar is'suflicient to provide head room for the button as it passes through the open slot with the shank thereof extending into the button loop. The shank -25 'of the button may, of course. be

2',oo7;4ac: fastened to an article to be supported such as an overall bib- 25' The recess in the central barrlil. opening into the-lower slot besides forming desired flexibility in the torsion arms 22 and 23 andproviding; head room for the insertion of the head ofa button, alsopermits of the formation of aresilient cushion by the strap iii-extending thereacross- This resilient cushion prevents accidental displacement of the button from the button'loop although it permits'ready engagement;of the button into the button loop and disengagement therefrom when the button is manually urged against the cushion. The strap is held, across the recess by the comparative narrowness of the" lower open slot, the width of the slot being sub stantially the same as the thickness of the material of the average strap. Y a

The upper cross bar I! may preferably be provided with an offset portion 26 at a central por tion of the width thereof adjacent the subtend ing tongue and extending in a direction away therefrom to facilitate the introductionof the free end of the strap through theslot formed.

r between the tongue 2!} and the cross bar llwhich it subtends. V

In threading the buckle just described, a corner of the strap may be introduced into the opening produced by the offset portion 29 of the bar H and behind the tongue 3 and thereafter pulled throughthe slot between the tongue and. its subtended bar H, the resiliency of the. central cross bar It permitting movement ofthe gripping portion 20 away from the top bar. The normal position of the gripping portion or tongue,

1 adjustment between the grippingportion and the subtended cross bar.

The free end of the strap extending from the upper slot is thereafter threaded through the lower slot 24 preferably by inserting a corner of r the end of the strap in thecentral enlarged portion of the lower slot, Whereafter itinay readily be pulled so that its entire width lieswithin' the slot'with the end extending downwardly. Upon. exertion of a relative pull between the strap and the frame, that is, the buckle being held at its lower end by the button of the garment to be supported and the'strap being'urged in a direction away therefrom, the arms 22 and 23 are placed under torsional strain and institute movement of' the gripping portion 20 in a direction toward the top bar to grip the strap in the upper slot. An adjustment of the 'strapis readily had by pullingthe strap at an intermediate portion Within the buckle framein a direction opposite to that above recited so that the tongue 20 is moved in a direction away from the top bar to relieve the gripping engagement of the strap. After the necessary adjustment, the'free end of the strap is thereafter pulled taut in the lower slot and upon an insertion of a relative pull between the strap and the frame, as first stated,

a gripping occurs to prevent a displacement from' v the adjusted position. 7

The strap 20 is normally of substantially the same width as' the distance between the inside cur.

of the side bars l and I 6. Ordinarily thestrap 20 is greater in'thickness at the side edges thereofg their being in some instances a double thick.- ness on the one edge and four thicknesses on the opposite edge, or in some conditions, four thicknesses on one edge and twice as many on the other edge. In speaking, therefore, of the thicknessof the strap, it is to be understood that the thickness is determined by the several folded layers constituting the strap. In some instances the tongue 2| may extend to engage the folded and sewededges of the strap although in other 111-" stances the tongue may be of shorter widthand may not engage' these folded edges. In any event,

due to the desired flexibility ofthe central cross bar, the gripping portion thereof will accommodate an uneven thickness of the strap. The full width of the strap is such as toextend be.-

' yond the ends of the tongue to occupy the space. of the slot defined by the topbar and the arms 22 at the juncture thereof with the side bars, the,

above-indicated short projecting portions of the arms. 22 acting as stops. These short projecting portions limit and guide the sidewise movement of the strap andprevents the material thereof fromworking aroundthe ends of the tongue.

Further, the tongue 2!] is preferably provided with sharp end portions at the juncture of the endswith the gripping edge thereof which also cooperate with the stops to prevent theqgoods from sidewise movement should the buckle'bea come tilted and a sidewise pullof the strap oc- The loop is preferably provided with offset portions 21 extending forwardly or upwardly with reference to the remainder of the face of the loop and portions 28 of the cross bar It are offset in the opposite direction to extend rearwardly of the loop for facilitating the entrance of the button into the loop, the forwardly extending offset portions 2? directing the button forwardly over the cross bar I8 when tension is released from the strap thereby preventing displacement of the but ton from the loop. a

The arms 22 and 23 at the portions thereof adjacent the lower cross bar H), which are in effect the torsion arms supporting the gripping member, are of particular significance in that they backup the cloth which is forming one side of the button opening. The fact that the cloth can be pushed back between these two arms and further that the arms themselves yield, makes for easy manual engagement and disengagement of the button and prevents accidental disengage merit of the button. I

In. the development of the buckle of this invention, a novel relationship of spring properties and thickness of material has been adop'ted.-- It has been found that if a buckle of the above type to 2" in width, the material may be .028 to is formedto accommodate a strap of from 1 .016" inthickness, the Rockwell'hardness being held between 25 and 55 on the C scale with a 150 kilogram load. In the case of buckles accommodating straps of between I%" and 1% in width, the thickness'range of the material of the buckle ranges between .024 and .012" with the usual fabrication methods where relativelyhard" materials are fabricated. Also, an increase in speed of production because of a lesser number ofshut-downs and lesser number of tool sharpen ing operations and the like is to be had. A more detailed discussion of the physical properties of the buckle of the present invention may be had by reference to an application which will hereafter be filed as a continuation of the present application.

Referring now more particularly to Figs. 6 to 8, inclusive, a construction very much similar to that previously recited is illustrated in which the side bars 29 and 30 are connected by three cross bars 3 I, 32 and 33. The buckle is likewise formed Ora single piece of sheet metal, the central bar being formed from the material within the frame and having a tongue 34'and arms 35 and 36 oppositely extending from the tongue to be resiliently secured to the side bars 29 and 30, the tongue subtending in close proxiinty a major portion of the upper cross bar 3! thereby forming a strap gripping slot. The arms 35 and 35 at their points of attachment to the side bars are spaced from the upper cross bar a distance slightly greater than the average thickness of the strap, the arms being tortuous in the direction of their length and narrow in width to meet at the lower end of the tongue. The arms 35 and 36 coperate with the lower bar 33 to form an open lower slot and the material of the arms adjacent the lower slot is recessed preferably at 31 to provide head room for the insertionof the head of a button against the resilient cushion of the strap extending across the recess and in the slot. The shank of the button may pass into a passageway 38 extending between the lower open slot and the button loop 39 extending outwardly from the lower cross bar 33. The passageway 38 is sufficiently wide to accommodate the shank of the button so that the button may be inserted through the open slot adjacent the lower bar 33 of the buckle.

The tongue 3 and the upper cross bar 3| overlap each other for at least a portion of their subtending areas as by means of the tongue being provided with extruded portions 40. The upper surface of the button loop 39 is provided with offset portions 4| extending upwardly and the lower bar 33 is provided with offset portions 42 extending in an opposite direction. to facilitate introduction of the button into the loop, the offset portions 4| directing the button over the resilient central cross bar 32 to prevent accidental displacement of the button from the button loop. With reference to the particular modification just described, the cross bar is formed of fiat metal and is not, therefore, of arcuate cross section as in the previously described embodiment. Further, the central cross bar 32 is not provided with a recess opening into the lower open slot, but is merely recessed interiorlyof a portion of the tongue as at 32 to provide added fiexibilty to the cross bar so that, as in the case of the previously described embodiment, the gripping portion of the central cross bar may function satisfactorily to grip the strap whether or not uneven thicknesses in the width'of the material of the strap are presented.

Referring now more particularly to Figs. 9 and 10, a modified form of buckle is shown comprising side bars 42 and 43 connected by three spaced cross bars 44, 45 and 46. The central cross bar 45 comprises oppositely extending arms 41 and V 48 resiliently secured to the side bars and extending from a gripping portion 49 that subtends in close proximity a major portion of the top bar 44 to form an upper slot through which a strap may be threaded and gripped. The arms 41 and 48 form an open lower slot adjacent the lower bar 46 for receiving the free end of the strap, the arms 41 and 48 being tortuous in the direction of their length, narrow in width and preferably arcuate in cross section to resiliently secure the central cross bar to the side bars 42 and 43.

In this embodiment, the gripping portion 49 is shown as being fiat while the supporting arms 41 and 48 are of arcuate cross section. The gripping portion 49 and the upper cross bar 44 overlap each other for at least a portion of their subtended areas in a manner, for example, such as by extruding a portion of the material of the tongue 49 as at 59. In this embodiment the gripping portion or tongue 49 is offset outwardly at a portion centrally of its width to facilitate the entrance of a corner of the free end of the strap in threading the strap through the buckle as distinguished from the previously described embodiment where the upper cross bar was offset to facilitate the introduction of a corner of the strap.

The central cross bar 45 is preferably recessed opposite an outwardly extending portion of the lower cross bar 46, this outwardly extending portion forming a button loop having a passageway therefrom opening into the elongated open slot in which the free end of the strap is received. The recessed portion on the central bar provides head room for the passing of the button as the shank of the button engages in the button loop, the head of the button acting against a resilient cushion in the form of the strap extending across the recessed portion.

Referring now more particularly to Figs. 11 to 14 of the drawing, a still further embodiment of this invention is shown comprising a frame formed of side bars 52 and 53 connected by three spaced bars 54, 55 and 56. The central bar is very much similar to the central cross bar in Fig. 1 with the exception that the gripping portion 51 thereof is made to overlap the cross bar 54 which'it subtends by forcing the central cross bar out of its normal stamped position, as shown in-Fig. 11, to the operative position as shown in Fig. 13. Further, the central bar 55 is preferably disposed in the same plane as the face of the frame of the buckle and the overlapping cooperating cross bar 54 of the frame is displaced rearwardly to accommodate the central cross bar as at 58 and limits the movement of the cross bar in one direction. It is further shown that the central cross bar 55 may be prevented from movement beyond its elastic limits in the other direction by means of cooperating pairs of lips 59 and 60 which overlap and are disposed in such relation as to permit movement of the gripping portion within the desired limits, whereafter lip 59, supported close to the frame and having little 'if any resiliency, prevents the movement of the flexible tongue by contacting with the lip 60 thereon in the direction of movement thereof outwardly from the frame.

While several embodiments of this invention are herein shown and described, it is to be understood that various modifications thereof may be apparent to those skilled in the art without departing from the spirit and scope of this invention, and, therefore, this invention is to be lim- I gripped and to form an open lower slot adjacent the-lower bar for receiving the free end of "the strap, a portion of said central bar havingw'a recess providinglateral arms extending between said recess and said'lower' slot, said recess 'being defined by said'gripping-portion and said arms,

said recess and saidlower slot communicatingt'o 'provide a flexibility of' said c entralbar fo'raccommodating a strap or varying thickness across the widththereof whereby upon the exertion of a relative pull between said strap' and said frame the gripping portion of said' central baris moved toward and awayfrom said top bar to grip uniformly said strap threaded in said upper slot.

Abuckle formed of a single sheet of metal constituting a frame which comprises side bars and cross bar's connectingsaid side barsinwhich 'acentral bar is disposed between upper and lower bars, the central bar being resiliently secured to the said side bars and beingprovided witha gripping portion that subtends in close proximity a major portion of the top bar to form an upper slot through which a strap may be threaded and gripped andto form-an open lower slot adjacent the lower bar for receiving the free end of the strap, said central bar and said upper bar overlapping for at least a portion of their subtended areas for limiting the movement of said resiliently secured bar in one direction, and means cooperating with said central bar for limiting the movement thereof in the other direction, a portion of said central bar adjacent said gripping portion having a recess providing lateral arms extending between said recess and said lower slot, said recess and said lower slot communicating to provide a flexibility of said central bar for accommodating a strap of varying thickness across the width thereof whereby upon the bars and three spaced cross bars connecting said side bars, the, central b'ar'being resiliently secured to said side bars and being provided with a gripping portion that subtends in close proximity a major portion of the top bar to form an upper slot through which a strap is threaded and gripped and to form an'open' lower slot adjacent the lower bar for receiving the freev end of the strap, said lower bar having an outwardly extending button loop with a passage. leading to said lower slot for receiving a button, said passage being of sufiicient width only to permit the shank of the button to pass therethrough into said loop,

said lower slot and said central bar coop rating to permit passage of the head of the button into and out of said loop whereby the central bar may or may not be moved out of the plane of the buckle in accordance with the thickness of the strap, a portion of said central bar being placed under., torsionalQstrain upon the exertion of a :relative pull-between said strap and said frame to permitmovement-of said gripping portion in a direction towardand awayfrom said top bar to grip saidsstrap threaded in said upper slot.

4. A; buckle formed of a single piece of sheet metaliconstituting a frame which comprises side bars'and three spaced cross bars connecting said :side bars, the centralbar being resilientlysecured to said side 'bars and being provided with a grippingportion"that 'subtends in close proximity a major portion of. theitdp bar to form an upper slot through WhlChniL strap is threaded and gripped and to form an open lower slot adjacent the lowerbarffor-receivingthe free end ofthe istrapysaid :lowerbar having an outwardly ex- "tending. button-sloop with a'pas'sage' leading to said lower slotxfor-receiving. a button, said passage being of-sufiicierit width only to permitthe :shank oftheisbutton to pass therethrough into said loop;said.centralbarbeing'recessed to provide head roornfor'the passage of the button into and outfof the-loop and being resilient whereby it may or may not be moved out of the plane of the buckle'inlaccord'ance with the thickness of theistrap,-a portion of said central bar being placed under to'rsional strain upon the exertion of --a relative pull between; said strap and said frame-topermit'rnovement' of said gripping portioninf a direction toward and away from said top bar to grip said. strap threaded in said upper 5. A-buckleformed of a single'piece of sheet metah constituting a frame having side bars and three spaced cross bars connecting said-side bars, the central cross bar having a tongue constituting a strap gripping portion that subtends and. lies closely adjacent to a major portion of the upper cross bar and having resilient arms extending from said side bars toward each other for cooperation with the lower cross bar to form an open lower slot for receiving the free end of a strap, said lower cross bar having an outwardly extending button loop provided with a passage leadingto said open slot for receiving a button acting to support a garment or other article and said passage being of suflicient width to permit the shank of said button only to pass there throughlinto said loop, said arms cooperating with, said lower slot'to permit passage of the head of the button into and out of the loop and terminating inwardly a spaced distance from each other opposite said button loop and being extended in a direction away from each other to join said'tongue portion, said arms being resilient whereby they may or may not be moved out of the plane of the frame in accordance with the thickness of the'strap and whereby upon the exertion of a relative pull between said strap and said'frame they are placed'under torsional strain to permit movement of said tongue portion in a direction toward and away from the cooperating upper cross bar to grip said strap threaded between the upper cross bar and said tongue.

6. A buckle formed of a single piece of sheet metal constituting a frame having side bars and three spaced cross bars connecting said side bars, the central cross bar being provided with a tongue and arms oppositely extending from said tongue to resiliently secure said central cross bar to said side bars, said tongue having a substantially straight edge subtending and lying closely adjacent to a major portion of the upper cross bar thereby forming a strap gripping slot extending substantially beyond the ends of said tongue to accommodate that portion of the strap extending beyond the tongue, the juncture of the ends and gripping edge of said tongue being sharp to prevent sidewise movement of thestrap, said arms being tortuous in the direction of their length and forming an open slot with said lower cross bar for receiving the free end of said strap and said arms upon the exertion of a. relative pull between said strap and said frame being subjected to torsional strain to institute movement of said tongue in a direction toward and away from the cooperating cross bar togrip said strap threaded therebetween.

7. A buckle for use/with astrap formed of a single piece of sheet metal constituting a frame having side bars and three spaced cross bars connecting said side bars, the central cross bar being provided with a tongue and arms oppositely extending from said tongue to resiliently secure said central cross bar to saidside bars, a gripping portion of said tongue subtending and lying closely adjacent to a major portion of the upper cross bar thereby forming a strap gripping slot, means projecting inwardly from said side bars substantially to the gripping portion of said tongue and a spaced distance from said top bar slightly greater than the thickness of the strap such that the cross-section of said strap at said gripping slot will be maintained insubstantially a straight plane, said arms being, tortuous in the direction of their length and forming an open slot with said lower cross bar for receiving the free end of said strap and said arms upon the exertion of a relative pull between said strap having side bars and three spaced cross bars connecting said side bars, the central cross bar being provided with a tongue and arms oppositely extending from said tongue to resiliently secure said central cross bar to said side bars, a gripping portion of said tongue subtending and lying closely adjacent to a major portion of the upper cross bar thereby forming a strap gripping slot and the points at which said arms are attached' to said side bars being spaced from said upper cross bar a distance such that the cross-section of said strap at said gripping slot will be maintained in substantially a straight plane, said arms being extended substantially to said gripping portion and being thereafter tortuous in the direction of their length, narrow in width and forming an open slot with said lower cross bar for receiving the free end of said strap and said arms upon the exertion of a relative pull between said strap and said frame being subjected to torsional strain to institute movement of said tongue in a direction toward and away from the cooperating upper cross bar to grip said strap threaded therebetween.

HARRY P. TROENDLY. PAUL w, WHITE. 

